Just took my bike out for a quick test before Mondays track day and I have a problem

The radiator cap seems to be hissing after a run and overflowwing slighty into the overflow, do you think the cap could just be old and not holding the pressure or possibly a leaky head gasket? Bike still seems to run fine.

I am seriously hoping that nicking the cap off my road bike tomorrow will fix it if not I may be in trouble for monday as not only do I not have any spare headgaskets but I also have a feeling the heads on my bike are o-ringed anyway.....I have never had them apart before.

Whats my chances of some luck here? Or will I have to use the R6 on Monday . Is there an easy way to test for a leaky head gasket?

Try the cap but I would guess oen of your O rings has gone or is starting too. Might be the same O ring as an RS in which case maybe Tom has one?
_________________
If I have to take the carbs off once more...

I don't know about a roadbike but my trackbikes don't have expansion bottles but only overflow bottles, so there is always some fluid in the bottles but I've never heard any hissing (have you checked the bike for snakes ? Sorry, but am watching "Anaconda" right now)
_________________
Poul
"If Life Gets Boring, Risk It!"
MC21SE, KISS box
MC21SP, HRC box, racing loom

I think I have some spare head gaskets but can't help you if you need o-rings.

Problem is Tom is away sunning himself in France .

What is the worst damage that can happen running a bike with a leaky head gasket, I really want to run my MC28 on monday and will maybe take both that and either the really slow standard road MC28 (but will have to drop down to novice group) or the R6......r6 will probaly be better than an embarrassingly slow MC28.

I have some standard Barrels I could sling on but then the jetting etc would be way out with the RS carbs and avgas so think it would be a wast of time.

Will a leaky head gasket just be a bike running with less power? As long as I keep the fluid topped up after each 20 minute session will I be OK? Or should I just leave it at home ?


Maybe someone at the track day may be able to fix me up with some o-rings if they are required? A run up the road tomorrow with a new rad cap may be the answer but the more I think about it the less I think it will work.


So come on, whats the worst that can happen me running a bike I know is loosing (a very small amount of) water through a leaky head gasket....as long as I keep an eye on the temp gauge will I be OK for one day? Maybe if it is leaking I should whip the heads off tomorrow and see, but is if has failed I have no chance of running the bike at all as I guess it will never go back as well as it is now


New brakes, k-tech suspension refresh etc seem a complete waste of money now !

watfordhorn wrote:
What is the worst damage that can happen running a bike with a leaky head gasket?

Worst case scenario? It can destroy the barrel, head, and crank!

If the coolant leaks into the cylinder it can cause detonation and that will cause it to fail. If it leaks to atmosphere it can overheat and seize, and also spill coolant on the track that could potentially cause injury to others.

You have nothing to lose by removing the head to at least have a look.

I'd fit the standard barrels you have (and possibly even standard carbs - if they are as good as MC21 carbs they will be better than PJ's anyway!), and rejet it to suit. Or, if worst comes to worst, fit the HRC PGM/card to the slow road bike so you will have something more like 55hp to play with, and enjoy a 2-stroke day on a 2-stroke.
_________________
Andy.
NSR-WORLD.COM

Please keep all responses to Forum posts on the Forum so that others may benefit.

Please DO NOT PM me for technical advice. My time is precious, and you will probably receive a faster response on the Forum anyway.

Check us out on Facebook! Please "like" our page!

watfordhorn wrote:either the really slow standard road MC28 (but will have to drop down to novice group)

LMAO, you go out in novice on anything other than a pushbike and you'll be laughing for the first 10 minutes as you pass everything then howling to be moved up a group or two.
The pace tomorrow will be steady to put it mildly as it's what basically boils down to a forum day for bikes built before 1995 with less than 70bhp owned by people who spend more time looking after them than riding them. There will be plenty of RD's, RGV's, UK TZR's etc. in inters that your road '28 would walk past.
They'll probably ask what group you want to be in tomorrow as the inters group sold out and they need to move some of you into whats now called inters/fast. You'd be wise to ask to go in that.
Last year I was out in inters, went out at the front to get some clear space and was running into the back of the group again by lap 4.
_________________
Please do not PM me technical questions, if you can't find it on the Forum start a thread

Right, new radiator ca is going on then. If not then the heads are coming off, not that there is much I can do if they are leaking. I could put some standard piston and barrels on, but as the bike is running an HRC010 card then what do I do about fuel and jetting still using the PJs as I dont have tie to get those changed as well?

So my road bike may be coming as well although I did fancy getting the R6 out on the track at some point

I'd offer you a bike but its a bit of a drive to come and get it.
_________________
If I have to take the carbs off once more...

Cheers Steve, your right it is a bit of a trek though!

I have decided seeing as its a two stroke day I will be bringing my MC28 road bike as well instead of the R6. I have my new Rothmans bodywork to put on it if anything bad was to happen anyway.

I will also bring the HRC 030 card for it and if it does feel too slow it could be the day that my bike finally gets de-restricted. But like Fontyyy says, its probably got enough power to see me through the day.

I may even get lucky and find someone else with o-ringed heads of matching size that can help me out when I get there....fingers crossed.

Paul, how close will I get to your house on the way passed....I might swing by and pick those Head gaskets off you as I have a feeling (after trawling old emails) my bike has det-rings and not o-rings.

Both bikes are loaded and I am early ready to go!

You always have to leave early don't you with '28's Leigh
_________________
If I have to take the carbs off once more...

I know, I really need to get some covers for them....how embarrassing if anyone see's me with two of them on a trailer!

watfordhorn wrote:Paul, how close will I get to your house on the way passed....I might swing by and pick those Head gaskets off you as I have a feeling (after trawling old emails) my bike has det-rings and not o-rings.

Both bikes are loaded and I am early ready to go!

Wouldn't be a big diversion for you, leave A1m at Baldock and follow A505. I'm about 3 miles from M11 junction 10 so you could go M11, A14 and back on A1M.
I have got head and base gaskets if needed.

Cheers for the offers.

Turned out OK in the end, I nipped all the head bolts up this morning and everything was fine . All had a bit of a turn in them. So the road bike didnt have to embarrass itself and sat on the trailer all day

Missed one session with overflowing carbs but the bike went pretty well all day apart from that. Was running pretty rich and bogging down a bit so went down a jet size before last session and it was heaps better....not enough to keep with Rich's RS though .